


a withering echo

by lovelyjo



Category: Preacher (TV)
Genre: Gen, it's got a little unholy trinity if you squint, maybe a chapter 2??, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-18 02:36:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7296127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelyjo/pseuds/lovelyjo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tulip and Cassidy part ways.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This starts off right at the tail end that sneak peek from episode 5. You know the one. This is an entirely self-indulgent fic because I love these two and I love how drawn together Jesse, Cassidy, and Tulip are. Also, there will probably be a chapter 2! I think! With Jesse!

“You can leave now.” 

Tulip walked through the door and shut it behind her letting the vampire decide how he was going to get back to… wherever he was living. Honestly, Tulip wasn’t that concerned about him- even with his aversion to the sun. Whatever he had to do to get out of her house, well, her uncle’s house, was punishment for scaring her like he did. And for stealing a kiss like he did.

But, he was an interesting guy. The part of her that loved doing jobs with Jesse, that loved flying down country roads 50 over the limit, that loved the rush she got from a fight, wanted to see him again. Which, admittedly, was most of her. 

She sighed and put her index and thumb up to her nose. She needed to talk to Jesse. She was still pissed he bailed on her to “leave Carlos to the Lord” or whatever but she had to make sure this guy wasn’t feeding on innocent town people. 

Was Jesse even aware an Irish monster was prowling around his precious town? Jesse was a lot of things but observant was not one of them and she was sure he didn’t pay attention to small town gossip. Not unless someone went right up and spelled it out for him. She was surprised she hadn’t heard of the Irish man before she beat him through a window. But the in’s-and-out’s of Annville hadn’t really been her main concern. 

Tulip sat the kitchen table and took another sip of her tea. She could hear Uncle Walter snoring in the living room, as per usual. She could also hear Dracula shuffling around in her bedroom. The scene from last night played again in her head. She truly, genuinely thought she had killed an innocent man for a case of mistaken identity. It was a bone-chilling fear she hadn’t felt in a long time. 

Tulip didn’t trust him, though. She didn’t know what a man like him was doing in a town like Annville, but whatever it was couldn’t be good. It was, however, intriguing. She’d have to keep an eye on him and ask Jesse to do the same. Maybe, just maybe, this was the spark he needed to be his old self again. She was starting to regret beating the vampire out the window less and less. 

The door creaked open and Dracula stepped out with a smirk on his face and an umbrella in his hand. She wasn’t sure where he had dug it up from. 

He waved it at her and said, “I think I’ll be taking this. Can’t be too careful out the in sun, ya know.” 

His accent was so strong she needed a second to register what in Hell he was saying and it gave him enough time to get to the front door. He grabbed the knob. 

“I think you’ll be borrowing it, okay?” 

He beamed at her. “Of course, I’m sure you’ll be needing it with all the rain here.” He laughed brightly. What the Hell put him in such a good mood? 

“Just bring it back sometime.” 

He saluted her and turned for the door. 

She tapped her fingers on the table. “Name? So I can hold you accountable.”

He turned again, and if possible his smile got bigger, revealing his canines. “I’m Cassidy. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

“The pleasure’s all yours.” 

Cassidy winked then laughed and opened the door. He pushed the umbrella open and stepped through the doorway out into the world. Tulip smiled to herself and took another sip of her tea. She couldn’t help but wonder when they were going to run into each other again. She knew it would be soon, she could feel it. He was a man that attracted trouble, just like Jesse, and Tulip brought trouble with her wherever she went.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is part two featuring Jesse!

Tulip pulled into the church driveway. The building was decrepit, as it had always been, even when it was full, back in the day when Jesse’s daddy was preaching. But now it was even worse. It was just plain depressing to look at. 

She didn’t particularly like being there. She would have much rather met up with Jesse in one of their spots around town, but she needed to talk to him. And, seeing that there was so much different about him, who knows if he would show up in any of those spots, anyway. 

Jesse’s truck and the church van were parked lazily in front of the church and so she did the same. 

As she got out of her car a hot breeze ruffled her hair and blew dust into her face. God, this place was a shithole. 

Tulip pulled open the door and took her time walking through the entrance and into the chapel. She made herself at home in one of the pews, put her feet up on the bench in front of her, and picked up a hymnal lying next to her. She flipped through it without really looking at the pages. 

Jesse hadn’t come out when her car pulled up next to the church so she figured she would just wait him out. Not to mention as much as she wanted to see him no encounter ever felt right. Their well oiled machine was missing a cog. 

But, God, Tulip missed him. She missed him so much. Being here in town was ache that wouldn’t go away. 

She heard voices up in the back rooms behind the chapel itself and a lot of shuffling around. She could hear Jesse’s drawl and another familiar voice she couldn’t quite place. It was too muffled to make out what they were saying. 

The shuffles and voices grew louder and and Tulip had to stop herself from leaning forward to make out what they were saying. 

Jesse’s voice came through, “-not leaving, Cass.” 

“Those two jokers are after you, mate. And trust me, I know, running is the best option.” 

The voice clicked. She knew why it was so familiar. Cassidy the Vampire was here. With Jesse. Telling him to leave. Apparently, they were close enough to do that. And, close enough for nicknames. 

They stopped right at the top of the stairs, where she could hear but not see them. 

“My place is here, Cassidy. I’m helping people. Doing good.” God, it was the same speech he had been giving her. 

“You’re not gonna be any help to anyone with a bloody chainsaw in your chest, are ya?” There was a slight pause. Tulip could see them making their way down the stairs into the chapel. Cassidy was wearing a robe and a flattering pair of dinosaur pajama pants. “Now, I’m thinking we go to San Francisco, I like the sound of that. I haven’t seen the Pacific Ocean, as I told you, but you were pretty-“ 

Tulip plastered a smile on her face. “Howdy, boys!” 

Jesse didn’t look startled but Cassidy sure did. Jesse nodded at her and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. 

Cassidy, however, was talking as they walked over to meet her. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Oh! Padre, you remember the woman I was talking about? Knew her way around a baton? Here she is.” 

Tulip and Jesse exchanged a look. It felt good to be in sync with him again. 

Jesse reached out and grabbed Cassidy’s shoulder. “Cass? I know Tulip. We both grew up here.” A smirk was growing on his face. Tulip thought “know” was an understatement. 

“Aye,” Cassidy glanced between them and said, “makes sense. I’m the only newcomer here you’ve seen in a while, right?” 

Tulip ignored the question. “So, this is where you’ve been staying? You and Jesse sharing the bedroom?” She gestured to his pants. 

He glanced down at his pants and blushed. “I’m stayin’ in the attic, actually. It’s quite nice up there.” He snorted. 

Tulip couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re a literal bat in a belfry, huh?” 

Cassidy smiled and said, “The irony was not lost on me.” 

Tulip turned to Jesse. “What about you, Preacher? You put him in there on purpose just to make the phrase work?” 

Jesse rolled his eyes. “You believe the vampire thing, too? How’d he manage to convince you? You know there’s not a minute he’s sober, right?” 

Tulip was surprised Jesse wasn’t convinced. They had lived together their whole lives, they’d both seen enough craziness to believe something like a vampire could exist. 

“I had more solid proof he’s a vampire than proof your God is listening to anything anyone down here has to say. There’s a bat in your belfry. A monster prowling around Annville.” 

Cassidy put a hand on the back of his neck and smirked, but the humor didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Hey now, monster’s a little bit harsh don’t you think?” 

Tulip smiled at him. “Nah, everyone’s got a little monster in them. Even Good Man Jesse over here. No sense in trying to change who you are, right? We are who we are.” 

Cassidy’s face softened and he gave her a similar look to the one after she kissed him. Jesse looked annoyed. 

“What does “know your way around a baton” mean, Tulip?” Jesse asked, clearly not wanting to talk about vampires anymore.

“I may have mistaken our friend here for that sonuva bitch, Clive. A baton was the first thing I found. But no harm no foul, right, Dracula?” Cassidy nodded and sat down next to her in the pew. 

Jesse plopped down on her other side. “I don’t want to hear about the vampire thing right now. I’ve got too much on my plate as is.” 

Tulip replied, “Fine, then. What’s this nonsense about you needing to run away to San Francisco? Because I am totally in.” 

Jesse walked back into the common room and grabbed a bottle of whiskey as Tulip got the rundown from Cassidy. He sighed as he sat down. But, this was the most comfortable Tulip had felt in ages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading this!! All I want is for these three to hang out, honestly. Sorry for the lack of plot, I guess you could call this a character study but it's just what I want to see between them haha. I hope you enjoyed it!

**Author's Note:**

> Title is based off the song From the Mouth of an Injured Head by Radical Face. Let me know what you thought of the characterization! Also, sorry for any typos/mistakes I'm bad at editing my own writing.


End file.
